Bale loader



R. DELZER Feb. 18, 1958 BALE LOADER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28. 1953MA N INVEN TOR. REA/H040 Dazzle 4rroRuEys Feb. 18, 1958 DELZER 2,823,947

BALE LOADER Filed Dec. 28. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIE 5' ill INVENTOR.Raw/"04a DEAZER ZQM MM lrrwmlzys R. DELZER Feb. 18, 1958 BALE LOADER 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 2a, 1953 INVENTOR. Rel/wow D5425)? firroaweysBALE LOADER Reinhold Delzer, Douglas, N. Dak. Application December 28,1953, Serial No. 400,689

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-88) This invention has relation to a power operatedmachine useful to engage, lift, transport and release bales of hay orthe like.

A device made according to the present invention is entirely poweroperated and includes a pair of bale prongs for engaging a bale, a mainhoist and a bale hoist for lifting the bale, an extensible cross arm forsupporting the bale hoist with respect to the main hoist, and mechanismto rotate the main hoist.

A device made according to the present invention will perform the workdone by men formerly needed to manually load the bales onto a truck,stack them in piles on the truck, unload them and restack them.

In the past some saving in manpower has been effected by the use ofendless belt type loaders to pick up bales in the field and deposit themon a truck bed or to raise them from ground level to level used forstorage. This method did not obviate the necessity of having men arrangethe bales on the ground so that they could be-picked up by the beltloader or of having men handle the bales after they reached the higherlevel to remove them from the point of discharge of the loader and tostack them in piles for transportation or for storage. It is obviousthat the amount of work which can be accomplished each day when thebales must be loaded by this method or by the entirely manual method islimited by the strength and endurance of the men actually handling thebales. In the present invention, the only men needed are the operator ofthe bale loader and the tractor or truck operator.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an end view of the trailer with an inspection plate thereonremoved;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partially in section, taken on the line 33 inFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 inFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the device as seen in Fig. 1 showing apair of bale prongs in engaged relationship to a bale to be loaded;

Pig. 6 is an end view of the same end'of the device as seen in Fig. l ata reduced scale showing parts thereof in operating positions differingfrom the disclosure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 inFig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 8--8 inFig. 3;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 99 inFig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the bale prongs andthe operating mechanism associated therewith taken from position as seenin Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, a baleloader 20 is mounted on a trailer body 21 having supporting wheels 22,22, a platform 23, a tongue 24 and a trailer hitch 25.

nited States Patent 0 A main hoist 26 of the bale loader 20 includes aguide column 27, a guide cylinder 28 slidably mounted on said guidecolumn, and a pair of hoisting cylinders 29, 29 to cause the guidecylinder to be elevated. The guide column 27 is fixedly mounted withrespect to an upper supporting ring 30 which is rotatably supported bymeans of bearings (not shown) on a lower supporting ring 31 which isbolted to the trailer platform 23 as at 32. Each of the hoistingcylinders 29 is likewise fixedly mounted with respect to the uppersupporting ring 30 as at 33. Pairs of supporting ears 34, 34 areintegral with and extend outwardly from an upper end of the guidecylinder 28. Each of these guide cylinders has a piston 35 operablymounted therein and a piston rod 36 is connected to each of thesepistons. Each of the piston rods 36 is connected to one pair of saidsupporting ears 34 as at 37.

A horizontal slide 38 is fixedly mounted on the guide cylinder 28 and across arm 39 is slidably mountedv therein. Fixedly mounted to an outerend of said cross arm is a bale hoist cylinder 40. A bale hoist piston41 is mounted in the cylinder 40 and a piston rod 42 is con nected tosaid piston.

A bale prong actuating cylinder 43 is fixedly mounted. to a lower end ofa piston rod 42, a pair of pistons 44, 44

are each mounted in opposite ends of the cylinder 43 and a pair ofpiston rods 45, 45 each extend outwardly from one of said pistons 44.Each one of a pair of curved bale prongs 46, 46 is pivotally mounted toan outer end of one of saidpiston rods 45 as at 47. Each one of a pairof' arms48, 48 is integral with one of said bale prongs and extendsinwardly toward the center of the radius of curvature of said prong. Aspacing bar 49 is pivotally connected as at 50 to outer ends of each ofthe arms 48.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the mech-- anism forengaging, hoisting, transporting and releasing bales is powered by acombination hydraulic and mechanical system. The power for this systemis furnished by a prime mover 51 which may be constituted as an internalcombustion engine. A centrifugal pump 52 is driven by the prime mover 51through the instrumentality of a belt and supplies hydraulic fluid underpressure to an accumu later 53 by means of a pipe 54. The pump 52 drawsits hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 55 through pipe 56. A pipe 57.leads from the accumulator to a main hoist control valve 58, a balehoist control valve 59, and a bale prongs control valve 60. A pipe 61feeds from the main hoist control valve 53, the bale hoist control valve59 and the bale prongs control valve 6% to the reservoir 55.

A pipe 62 extends from the main hoist control valve 58 to inside of alower portion of each of the hoisting cylinders 29, 29. As best seen inFig. 8, when an operating handle 63 of the main hoist control valve 58is in the Raise position there is a passage inside of the valve from theaccumulator pipe 57 to the pipe 62. This permits a flow of hydraulicfluid through the pipe 62 and into a lower portion of each of thehoisting cylinders 29, 29 causing the pistons 35, 35 to be raised andthe piston rods 36, 36 acting on the supporting ears 34 to raise theguide cylinder 28, horizontal slide 38, and cross arm 3% with respect tothe guide column 27. When the operating handle 63 is moved to theNeutral position, the internal construction of the valve is such thatthe opening of the pipe 62 into the valve is blocked and the hydraulicfluid in the cylinders 29, 29 serves to maintain the cross arm 39 andits associated parts in fixed vertical position. When the operatinghandle is moved to the Lower position there is a passage from the pipe62, through the control valve 58 to the reservoir pipe 61. The weight ofthe parts acting through the piston rods 36, 36 on the piston 35 willcause the hydraulic fluid to be forced out of the cylinder, through thepipe 62,

I means of a belt.

the control valve 58 and the pipe 61 to the reservoir 55. As thishappens, the cross arm 39 and its associated parts will move in downwarddirection.

A pipe 64 extends from the bale hoist control valve 59 to the interiorof an upper portion of the bale hoist cylinder 40 and a pipe 65 extendsfrom said control valve 59 to a lower portion of said cylinder. When anoperating handle 66 of the bale hoist control valve 59 is in the Raised"position, as best seen in Fig. 7, there is an opening from the highpressure accumulator pipe 57 to the pipe 65 and an opening from the pipe64 to the reservoir pipe 61. This makes possible a flow of hydraulicfluid under pressure into the bottom of the bale hoist cylinder 40 andit, acting on the piston 41, causes the piston, the piston rod 42 andthe parts associated therewith to move in upward direction and so forcesthe hydraulic fluid in the upper portion of the cylinder 40 to passalong the pipe 64, the valve 59 and the pipe 57 into the reservoir. Withthe operating handle 66 in the Neutral position, the pipes 57 and 61 areblocked where they open into the valve 59 and the hydraulic fluid istrapped in the top and bottom portions of the cylinder 40 to maintainthe piston 41 and the parts associated therewith in fixed position. Whenthe operating handle 66 is moved to the Lower position, there is anopening from accumulator pipe 61 to the pipe 64 and consequently to thetop of the cylinder 40 and there is an opening from the pipe 65 and thelower portion of the cylinder 40 through the valve to the reservoir pipe61. The hydraulic fluid from the accumulator acting on the top of piston41 will cause piston rod 42 to be moved in downward direction togetherwith the elements associated with it and will force the fluid out of thebottom portion of the cylinder 40 along the pipe 65, through the valve59 and into the reservoir through the pipe 61.

The internal construction of the bale prongs control valve 60 is notdepicted in the drawings since it is identical in construction to valve58 disclosed in Fig. 8. A pipe 67 leads from this bale prongs controlvalve 60 to opposite outer end portions of the bale prong actuatingcylinder 43. This pipe has the same relative position with respect tothe valve 60 as the pipe 62 has with respect to the valve 58. It will beunderstood, therefore, that when an operating handle 68 of the baleprong control valve 60 is put in the Raise position, there is an openingfrom the high pressure accumulator pipe 57, through the valve 60 andinto the pipe 69. This forces the pistons 44 toward each other againstthe action of a heavy coil spring 69. Piston rods are moved in inwarddirection and curved bale prongs 46, 46 move to position as best seen inFig. 5. When the operating handle 68 is moved to the Neutral position,pipe 67 is blocked off and the curved bale prongs, piston rods andpistons will remain held in position. With the operating handle 68 movedto the Lower position, there is a passageway along the pipe 67, throughthe valve 60 to the reservoir pipe 61. The coil spring 69, actingagainst the pistons 44, 44, will cause these pistons to move outwardly,cause the prongs to be retracted and will force hydraulic fluid out ofthe ends of the cylinder 43, along pipe 67, through valve 60 and pipe 61to the reservoir 55.

The prime mover 51 drives gears in a gear box 70 by Operating handle 71,through the instrumentality of linkage 72 and clutch arm 73, causes agear 74, extending from said gear box, to be rotated in one directionwhen said operating handle is moved to the right as seen in Fig. 9 andin a reverse direction when said operating handle is moved to the leftas seen in Fig. 9. This gear 74 is in meshing relationship to a bullgear 75 which is concentric and fixedly mounted with respect to uppersupporting ring 30. Operation of this handle 71 by bale loader operatorwill cause the bull gear 75 and all of the equipment associatedtherewith including the main hoist to be rotated in either direction orto stand still. Gear box 76 is mounted on the underside of the platform23 and has a gear 77 extending therefrom which can be made to rotate ineither direction or can be held still by the operation of an operatinghandle 78 and appropriate linkages 79 controlling a clutch rod 80 of thegear box. This gear 77 meshes with a gear 81 which is fixedly mountedwith respect to one end of a rotatable shaft 82 which is concentric withand mounted in guide column 27. A gear 83 is fixedly mounted on saidshaft 82 at an opposite end thereof, and a chain 84 operably connectsthis gear 83 with a gear 85 which is fixedly mounted on one end of asplined shaft 86. A horizontal plate 87 is rigid with the top of theguide column 27 and serves as a bearing and thrust plate for the splinedshaft. This shaft 86 extends downwardly through a gear box 88 which isfixedly mounted with respect to the horizontal slide 38. A first bevelgear 89 is slidable along the splined shaft but rotatable therewith andmeshes with a second bevel gear 90. A pinion 91 is fixedly positionedwith respect to the bevel gear 90 and rotates therewith. This pinionmeshes with a horizontal rack 92 which is fixedly mounted on the crossarm 39. When the operating handle 78 is moved to cause the gear 77 torotate; gear 81, shaft 82 and gear 83 will be driven and the chain 84will drive gear 85 to rotate the splined shaft 86. This will cause thebevel gears 89 and 90 and pinion 91 to rotate and said pinion will forcerack 92 and the cross arm 39 to move outwardly or inwardly with respectto the horizontal slide 38 depending upon the direction of rotation ofthe parts.

The control valves 58, 59 and 60 and the gear boxes 70 and 76 may be ofany usual construction. The mechanism of these parts forms no part ofthe present invention.

In operation, the trailer body 21 is towed into position adjacent balesto be loaded. An operator, through the use of the various handles in themanner described, causes the main hoist to be rotated until the crossarm 39 is in alinement with a bale; causes the cross arm to be extendedor retracted to bring the bale hoist cylinder into vertical alinementwith the bale; lowers the main hoist and/or the bale hoist to bring thebale prongs into contact with the top of the bale; forces the baleprongs to ride downwardly and outwardly While forcing the bale hoistpiston in downward direction; raises and rotates the main hoist to carrythe bale to the desired new location; and lowers the main hoist causingthe bale to be stacked adjacent other bales as, for example, as seen inFig. 6, and releases the bale by withdrawing the bale prongs.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for engaging a bale including an actuating cylinder, apair of pistons each operably mounted in an opposite end of saidcylinder, a hydraulic pipe connection from a source of hydraulic fluidunder pressure open to the interior of said actuating cylinder at a sideof at least one of said pistons opposite the other piston, a pair ofpiston rods each connected to one of said pistons and each extendingoutwardly from said actuating cylinder, a pair of arcuate bale prongslying in a common plane and each pivotally mounted to an outer end ofone of said piston rods, a pair of arms each integral with one of saidbale prongs and each extending inwardly from one of said bale prongs inthe plane of said prong to the center of a circle coincident with thearc of said prong, an otherwise unsupported spacing bar having oppositeends thereof pivotally mounted with respect to ends of said arm at thecenter of said circle coincident with said bale prong.

2. A mechanism for engaging a bale including a vertical rod, a baleprong actuating cylinder attached to said rod, a pair of bale prongactuating pistons each operably positioned in an opposite end of saidbale prong actuating cylinder, a bale prong actuating piston rodextending outwardly from each of said bale prong actuating pistons, anarcuate bale prong pivotally mounted at one end thereof to each of saidbale prong actuating piston rods, an arm integral with each of said baleprongs and extending in the plane of said prong to the center of acircle coincident with said prong, and an otherwise unsupported spacingbar pivotally mounted at opposite ends thereof to each of said arms atthe center of the circle coincident with said prong.

3. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein movement of saidpiston rods in direction to cause said bale prongs to engage a balecauses free ends of said prongs to move in direction away from eachother after said free ends have penetrated a bale.

4; The combination as specified in claim 2 wherein movement of saidpiston rods in direction to cause said bale prongs to engage a balecauses free ends of said prongs to move in direction away from eachother after said free ends have penetrated a bale.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

